First Official Images from Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby

I was a pretty big fan of author F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” when we were forced to read it in high school, much to the dismay of my friends at the time. Maybe it’s the pretentious writer in me talking, but I’ve always felt that the book was near-perfect in a literary sense, and it’s certainly a tale that’s ripe for wrangling by someone with a penchant for strong, lush visuals. Enter “Romeo + Juliet” director Baz Luhrmann, who’s re-teaming with star Leonardo DiCaprio for what is sure to be a lavish big-screen adaptation of the aforementioned book. My only complaint: Tobey Maguire. I can’t stand that guy. Have you seen him cry? Painful.

If you were prone to sleeping in English class, you may need this:

Nick Carraway, a young Midwesterner now living on Long Island, finds himself fascinated by the mysterious past and lavish lifestyle of his neighbor, the nouveau riche Jay Gatsby. He is drawn into Gatsby’s circle, becoming a witness to obsession and tragedy.

“The Great Gatsby”, which also stars Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, and Isla Fisher, opens on December 25th, 2012. Hopefully this Christmas gift won’t be the equivalent of a lump of coal.